Microsoft on Monday expanded its use of Facebook within its Bing search engine, adding "likes" and recommendations from friends and strangers into search results.
Going forward, if you search for something one of your Facebook friends has "liked," Bing will note that in its search results. Did your sister and roommate "like" a nearby Italian restaurant? A small photo, the Facebook "thumbs up" icon, and a note that said they approve will show up in search results, Microsoft said.
Bing will also prioritize results based on what friends have liked. If you're searching for "Italian restaurants" in your neighborhood and the restaurant your sister and roommate "liked" normally showed up on page four of a regular Bing search, for example, that restaurant will move up in the search rankings because they liked it.
Microsoft started incorporating the "like" button into search back in February as an expansion of a partnership that was unveiled in October. Today's announcement also incorporates the opinion of people not in your direct social circle. Let's say you search for "Star Magazine." The results will also display links to some "Star" stories that readers have liked, even if they are not your friends.
"Search is better when it's not just based in math and algorithms, but also infused with the opinions of people," Microsoft said in a blog post. "Input from the collective IQ can enable search to become a discovery tool, allowing you to benefit from the connections, inferences and 'likes' of it."
To that end, Bing will also incorporate Facebook posts from the brands you're searching to alert you to any new deals.
If you're searching for information on a city, meanwhile, Bing will tell you if one of your friends lives there or has lived there in the past. The search results will include a link to their Facebook profiles, where you can ask them more about their city.
If you decide to visit, the travel deals option might come in handy. If you "like" a particular city on Bing, Microsoft will send you deals on flights directly to your Facebook feed.
If you can't decide where to go or what gadget to buy, you can build a shopping list on Bing and share it on Facebook, asking people for advice on what to buy. "From finding the best prices, to getting reviews from people you know and trust, or simply asking if something is 'you' or not, Bing has you covered," Microsoft said.
If you just want information on a Facebook friend, meanwhile, search for that person on Bing and the search engine will serve up "a more in-depth bio snapshot, such as location, education, and employment details to help you find who you're looking for more quickly."
How do you "Like" something on Bing? If you're a first-time user, there will be an option to Connect on Facebook via the "Sign In" link on Bing.com. After you connect, there will be a universal "like" bar that will let you favorite things across the Web.
For those who are already linked up through Facebook, but might not be aware of the new "like" features, Bing will display a warning the next five times you log on to Bing. "Hi Chloe, Bing just got better with your Facebook friends," the notice says. If you don't want to share your likes, click "disable." To re-join, click "Sign In" and connect again.
The Bing enhancements come about a month or so after Google expanded its social offerings with "+1"—a feature that lets you recommend certain Web sites with the click of a button, much like you might "like" something on Facebook. Pronounced "plus one," the service adds a small "+1" icon next to search results that friends have recommended.
Don't expect Google and Facebook to link up like Bing and Facebook, however. Last week it was revealed that Facebook hired a PR firm to launch a smear campaign against the search giant.